SeaFrance

SeaFrance

Type	Limited
Founded	1996
Headquarters	Calais,  France
Area served	England, France
Services	Passenger transportation, Freight transportation
Owner(s)	SNCF
Website	www.seafrance.com

SeaFrance is a ferry company based in France that operates ferry services between Calais, France and Dover, England.

SeaFrance is owned by SNCF.

The company employs a total of 1,850 staff, including 1,300 seagoing personnel and is the largest employer in the town of Calais.^[1]

Contents 1 History 2 Current operations 3 Current fleet 3.1 Passenger/freight ferries 3.2 Freight ferries 3.3 Laid up vessels 3.4 Past vessels 4 Gallery 5 References 6 External links

[edit] History

SeaFrance began operations between Dover and Calais in 1996 after the termination of a pooling agreement with Sealink (by then known as Stena Sealink Line) in 1995. The service initially began with the former Sealink vessels Fiesta and Côte d'Azur which became SeaFrance Cézanne and SeaFrance Renoir respectively after extensive refurbishments to create a distinctive French atmosphere on board. Former Sealink train ferry Nord Pas-de-Calais became the SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais and operated as a freight only ferry though SeaFrance did market the ship to passengers as a quiet ship. The three vessels were later joined by the former Stena Londoner which became the SeaFrance Monet. SeaFrance quickly became the second busiest operator on the Dover - Calais route after P&O European Ferries and ahead of their former partners now known as Stena Line. In 1997 the SeaFrance Manet entered service after a five year charter to Stena Line for the Newhaven-Dieppe service, the ship essentially replaced the Monet which was later sold after being damaged in Calais. SeaFrance took delivery of the SeaFrance Rodin in 2001, their first new ship and the fastest Dover-Calais ferry. She was joined in 2005 by the SeaFrance Berlioz, a sister ship built at a different yard.^[2]

SeaFrance was one of five companies invited to tender for the operation of Transmanche Ferries service between Dieppe and Newhaven. SNCF and later SNAT operated the route until 1992 when they withdrew after poor performance due to almost constant strike action. The route later passed to Sealink Stena Line (later renamed Stena Sealink Line and finally Stena Line). The route became part of P&O Stena Line with the merger of the company's Eastern Channel services and they operated the route until 1998 after which Hoverspeed operated a fast-ferry service on the route until 2004. Because the French local government did not want the route to be lost, they started a subsidized line called Transmanche Ferries in April 2001. After five years of service, and the arrival of two new-build ships the government had to tender the line in a concession to comply with EU regulations. The contract to operate the service was awarded to LD Lines on 21 December 2006.

In 2008 SeaFrance introduced the SeaFrance Molière and withdrew the SeaFrance Manet and plans to withdraw the SeaFrance Renoir.^[3]

[edit] Current operations

In 2005 SeaFrance made a €9.27 million loss but made a net profit of €7.9 million in 2006. In 2008 the company lost €20 million and since October 2008 has been losing in the region of €3 million a month.^[4]

On 17 February 2009 SeaFrance announced a restructuring plan following a decline in their freight carryings and significant losses. The restructuring would see up to 650 jobs lost in France and the withdrawal of the SeaFrance Cézanne, SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais and SeaFrance Renoir.^[5] A previous restructuring plan by SeaFrance submitted in January 2009 was rejected by owners SNCF. Following the restructuring announcement LD Lines indicated they would be interested in taking over SeaFrance.^[6] On 16 March 2009 Brittany Ferries announced it had also made an offer for SeaFrance. The Brittany Ferries offer would involved the creation of a new holding company in which Brittany Ferries would have a 75% stake with the remainder being owned by SNCF.^[7]

[edit] Current fleet

The current fleet is as follows.

[edit] Passenger/freight ferries

• SeaFrance Rodin (built 2001)
• SeaFrance Berlioz (built 2005). A sister ship of SeaFrance Rodin. Unlike the Rodin, which was built in Finland, the Berlioz was built in France, by Chantiers de l'Atlantique at Saint-Nazaire.
• SeaFrance Molière (built 2002), formerly Superfast X and Jean Nicoli, purchased by SeaFrance in 2007^[8] and refitted for the Dover-Calais route in Dunkerque at the cost of €15 million. The vessel has previously operated on longer crossings in the North and Baltic Sea routes.^[9] Entered service with SeaFrance in mid-August 2008 in freight only mode^[10] and full passenger service on 1 October 2008.^[11]

[edit] Freight ferries

• SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais (built 1987). Built as a train ferry for service between Dover Western Docks and Dunkerque Ouest. Following the opening of the Channel Tunnel and the ending of the Sealink pooling agreement she transferred to SeaFrance and operates as a freight only vessel.^[12]

[edit] Laid up vessels

• SeaFrance Cézanne (built 1980, converted 1990). Formerly named Fiesta, renamed SeaFrance Cézanne in 1996. :Withdrawn from passenger service in 2008 after the introduction of the SeaFrance Molière. Withdrawn from service 12th February 2009 . Laid up at Dunkerque on 14th Feb 09 ^[13].
• SeaFrance Renoir (built 1981 named initially the Côte d'Azur. In collision at Calais with Chantilly in 1982.

Withdrawn and laid up in July 2008 but returned to service in September 2008 to operate additional freight sailings. Scheduled to return to service in late 2008 to cover for refits and is then likely to be sold.

[edit] Past vessels

• SeaFrance Manet (built 1984 and named initially the M/S Champs Elysées)

Formerly a passenger ferry, from 2006 used for freight services. Has now been sold (as of August 2009) to Stena line, for use within the Irish Sea and renamed Stena Navigator.^[14]

• SeaFrance Monet

[edit] Gallery

Seafrance Rodin.JPG Seafrance Rodin leaving Dover for Calais in August 2008.	Seafrance Berlioz arriving at Dover in August 2008.	Seafrance Nord Pas de Calais approaching Dover in April 2007.	Seafrance Cezanne arriving in Calais Harbour.
Seafrance Cezanne

[edit] References

This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (April 2009)

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: SeaFrance

• SeaFrance (official site)
• Detailed fleet history (in Swedish)